Key findings
Executive summary
The 30% rent rule of thumb no longer describes most of the UK. On a single median wage, rent exceeds 30% in 275 councils and 40% in 122.
- Westminster has the worst rent-to-pay ratio at 85.2%; the most affordable authority, Darlington, sits at 23.8%.
- The median council ratio is 32.9% (median rent £900 a month against median pay of £32,708).
- Nationally, rents are rising 4.5% a year against house prices at 2.1% – a 2.4-point gap that keeps pressure on renters.
- Buying is not a clean escape: on a £288,000 home with a 10% deposit, repayments move from about £1,441 a month at 4.5% to £1,854 at the Bank of England’s 7.13% stress-test rate.
Where rent is hardest to afford
We compare each council’s median private rent (ONS Price Index of Private Rents) with its median individual gross annual pay (ONS ASHE). It is a single-earner stress test – households with two incomes fare better – but it shows where local wages and rents have drifted furthest apart.
View chart data as a table
| Category | Rent ÷ pay (%) |
|---|---|
| Westminster | 85% |
| City of London | 84% |
| Barking and Dagenham | 65% |
| Newham | 64% |
| Brent | 64% |
| Ealing | 63% |
| Enfield | 63% |
| Redbridge | 63% |
| Hounslow | 63% |
| Hillingdon | 63% |
| Council | Region | Median rent / mo | Median gross pay | Rent ÷ pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Westminster | London | £3,200 | £45,084 | 85.2% |
| City of London | London | £3,100 | £44,500 | 83.6% |
| Barking and Dagenham | London | £1,860 | £34,476 | 64.7% |
| Newham | London | £1,900 | £35,828 | 63.6% |
| Brent | London | £1,900 | £35,880 | 63.5% |
| Ealing | London | £1,910 | £36,244 | 63.2% |
| Enfield | London | £1,910 | £36,296 | 63.1% |
| Redbridge | London | £1,910 | £36,348 | 63.1% |
| Hounslow | London | £1,910 | £36,504 | 62.8% |
| Hillingdon | London | £1,920 | £36,868 | 62.5% |
The regional split
At regional level, London has the heaviest median rent-to-pay burden (59.5%) and North East the lightest (24.8%).
View chart data as a table
| Category | Rent ÷ pay (%) |
|---|---|
| London | 60% |
| South East | 43% |
| South West | 39% |
| East of England | 38% |
| West Midlands | 32% |
| Scotland | 31% |
| North West | 31% |
| East Midlands | 30% |
| Yorkshire and The Humber | 30% |
| Northern Ireland | 29% |
| Wales | 28% |
| North East | 25% |
Is buying the way out?
UK house prices rose 2.1% over the year while rents rose 4.5%. But a mortgage is a rate bet. The table below shows an illustrative capital-repayment mortgage on the benchmark median sold price of £288,000, with a 10% deposit (£259,200 borrowed) over 25 years.
| Scenario | Rate | Monthly payment | vs benchmark rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Scenario | 3.50% | £1,298 | −£143 |
| Benchmark rate | 4.50% | £1,441 | – |
| Scenario | 5.50% | £1,592 | +£151 |
| Scenario | 6.50% | £1,750 | +£309 |
| BoE stress-test rate | 7.13% | £1,854 | +£413 |
Illustrative only: capital repayment, 25-year term, 10% deposit, excludes fees, tax and insurance. Not a mortgage offer.
Methodology & data sources
Rent-to-pay ratios use the Cost Saver Cost of Living Intelligence Index (ONS Price Index of Private Rents (January 2025); ONS ASHE Table 8.7a (October 2025)). National house-price, rent and mortgage benchmarks come from the Cost Saver housing benchmark catalogue (ONS PRMS, UKHPI, HM Land Registry, Registers of Scotland and Bank of England), reviewed 2026-10-01. The Bank of England base rate and stress-test rate are from the Bank of England benchmark file (reviewed 2026-10-16). Mortgage repayments use the standard amortisation formula and are illustrations, not offers. This is information, not regulated advice.
- ONS – Price Index of Private RentsONS Price Index of Private Rents (January 2025)View source
- ONS – Annual Survey of Hours and EarningsONS ASHE Table 8.7a (October 2025)View source
- ONS / HM Land Registry – UK House Price IndexBenchmark reviewed 2026-10-01View source
- Bank of England – Bank Rate & stress-test benchmarkReviewed 2026-10-16View source
Cost Saver Deep Dives provide general information, not regulated financial advice. Figures are benchmarks and illustrations; check current terms with providers before acting.
